Roller device with adjuster device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a roller device ( 1 ) comprising a stand with support posts ( 2, 12, 33 ), wherein at least one roller ( 3, 13 ) of the roller stand is arranged in the space between the support posts and at least one adjuster device ( 5, 10, 30 ) is provided for adjusting the rollers ( 3 ), wherein the at least one adjuster device ( 5, 10, 30 ) is arranged between the rollers ( 3, 13 ) and the support posts ( 2, 2   a,    2   b,    2   c,    2   d,    12, 33 ) and comprises a pressure medium adjuster body ( 14, 23, 34 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention concerns a rolling installation with an adjusting device, especially for adjusting a horizontal displacement of a roll of the rolling installation, especially in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

PRIOR ART

Rolling installations or roll stands are sufficiently well known in the prior art. In this regard, roll stands are known in which a horizontal displacement of a work roll relative to the adjacent backup rolls is undertaken as horizontal stabilization. This is especially necessary if different pass programs are to be run with the rolling installation. In this regard, well-known adjusting devices include adjusting transmission elements, hydraulic cylinders, and displaceable wedges for making wedge adjustments. Adjusting devices with wedges are disclosed, for example, by DE 17 770 54 A. EP 0 154 896 B1 discloses both hydraulic cylinders and mechanical adjusting transmissions.

Where the mechanical adjusting devices are concerned, it is a disadvantage, for one thing, that the devices lose the adjusted position, i.e., the adjusted position becomes displaced in the course of operation. This has the disadvantage that it occurs in adjusting devices with integrated transmissions, because there is no self-locking of the gears or a brake, so that a shift in position takes place under a load. This also means that the sensor or detector that is used for monitoring loses its absolute position. Moreover, where rolling installations with transmissions are concerned, relatively large amounts of space are provided for the transmissions in the mill housings, and therefore the installations turn out to be very large and heavy.

For another thing, there is the effect of a lack of reproducibility of the position that is to be set. The required installation space is also relatively large. This is the case with adjusting devices with wedges. In this connection, it can also occur that the adjusting wedges are pulled out too far during startup and thus lose contact with the region to be shifted. This also causes the detector to lose its position, and exact position control can no longer take place. Typically, the wedges extend far from the roll stand region on the drive side and the operating side, so that once again this is unfavorable for the roll-changing equipment and requires a relatively large amount of cladding. This is also associated with increased expense and is therefore a disadvantage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, OBJECTIVE, SOLUTION, ADVANTAGES

The objective of the present invention is to create a rolling installation that reduces the disadvantages of the prior art if it cannot completely eliminate them.

In accordance with the invention, this objective is achieved by a rolling installation, especially with a stand with housing uprights, wherein at least one roll of the roll stand is arranged in the space between the housing uprights, and at least one adjusting device is provided for adjusting the roll, wherein the one or more adjusting devices are arranged between the roll and the housing upright and comprises a pressure-medium control element. It is advantageous for two opposing adjusting devices to be present at each end of the roll.

In this regard, it is especially advantageous if the pressure-medium control element comprises a hydraulic actuator with a piston/cylinder unit. However, the pressure-medium control element can also be pneumatic or it can be operated with a different pressure medium.

It is advantageous if the piston/cylinder unit has a piston whose direction of motion is perpendicular to the roll axis or is aligned in such a way that its adjustment takes place perpendicularly to the roll axis.

It is also advantageous if the adjusting device has two pressure chambers for applying pressure to the piston, such that the two chambers are arranged at opposite ends of the piston. This allows the position of the piston to be reliably adjusted or controlled.

It is also advantageous if a piston rod connected with the piston acts on the roll directly or indirectly in the adjustment direction of the piston.

In another embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous if the piston/cylinder unit has a piston whose direction of motion is parallel to the roll axis or is aligned in such a way that its adjustment takes place parallel to the roll axis.

In this regard, it is advantageous if the adjusting device has two pressure chambers for applying pressure to the piston, such that the two chambers are arranged at opposite ends of the piston.

It is also advantageous if a piston rod connected with the piston acts on the roll directly or indirectly in the adjustment direction of the piston by means of a lever arrangement, where the piston is adjusted in the direction parallel to the roll axis, and the one or more levers of the lever arrangement bring about the adjustment of the roll perpendicularly to the roll axis.

It is also advantageous if the position of the piston can be detected by a sensor. In this regard, it is effective if the sensor is integrated in the housing of the adjusting device or is connected with it, especially by being externally mounted on it. This provides the advantage that the position of the sensor cannot be lost, because the sensor can be directly connected with the displaceable element of the piston/cylinder unit or with the elements that can be displaced relative to each other.

Advantageous refinements of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a rolling installation with a work roll with adjusting devices.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an adjusting device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an adjusting device.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a rolling installation 1 with a stand 2, such as a roll stand, with four mill housing uprights 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d, and with a work roll 3, which is installed in the region between the housing uprights 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d and supported in roll bearings 4. Adjusting devices 5 are provided between the housing uprights 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d of the stand 2 and the roll bearings or work roll bending blocks or adjustable blocks 4 for displacing the roll or the work roll 3 in the direction 6 perpendicularly to the axial direction 7 of the roll. To this end, the roll 3 is supported on a chock 8.

The adjusting devices 5 thus serve the purpose of horizontal adjustment of the roll 3 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the roll 3.

As FIG. 1 shows, the adjusting devices 5 are arranged in such a way that they effect an adjusting movement in the direction of the arrow 6 perpendicularly to the axis 7.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the adjusting device 10 in a rolling installation is formed by a pressure-medium actuator, such as a hydraulic actuator 11, as shown in FIG. 2.

The hydraulic actuator 11 is arranged between the roll 13 and the housing upright 12 in such a way that a pressure chamber 25 is formed between the component 23 and the component 18. In this connection, a pressure medium can be admitted into the pressure chamber or placed under pressure, so that the two components 23 and 18 are acted upon to move away from each other and accordingly are shifted away from each other, or so that they move towards each other.

Furthermore, a piston 14 is held in a cylinder chamber 15, 16, so that two cylinders or chambers 15, 16 are formed, into which pressure medium can be admitted, where the two chambers 15 and 16 are arranged on opposite ends of the piston 14, so that pressurization of the chamber 15 applies pressure to the piston 14 in the direction of the roll, and pressurization of the chamber 16 applies pressure to the piston 14 in the direction away from the roll. The piston/cylinder unit 14, 15, 16 creates a holding device or adjusting device, which is formed as a retaining cylinder and also serves to draw back the elements 20, 21 and 23.

The space 15, 16 is formed in a housing 17 connected with the housing upright 12. It is advantageous for the housing 17 to be formed as two parts comprising the subhousings 18, 19. The piston is held in the housing 17 by its piston barrel, and its piston rod extends through an opening in the subhousing 18, where it is connected with the roll bearing 20. It can be advantageous also to provide an intermediate element 21, which allows guidance in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the adjusting device and perpendicular to the roll axis.

The cylinder of the space 25 is also formed by the elements 23, 18 and is held in a recess of the block 17.

Besides the arrangement of the cylinder 14 in the housing 17 with the cylinder chambers 15, 16, the housing 17 also contains a sensor 22, which directly or indirectly detects the position of the element 23 actuated by the cylinder 25. In this regard, the sensor 22 has a pin 24, which is supported on the element 21 or with the element 23, which is connected therewith.

An especially advantageous aspect of this embodiment is the good controllability of the position by the pressurizable chambers or cylinders 25 and/or 15, 16, so that the position of the element 23 and/or of the piston 14 and thus the position of the roll 13 can always be adjusted in a well-defined way. Furthermore, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has an especially compact construction, since the hydraulic unit with piston/cylinder unit 25 acts directly on the roll 3.

In another embodiment of the invention, the adjusting device 30 is formed by a pressure-medium actuator, such as a hydraulic actuator 31, which acts on the roll 3 by means of a lever arrangement 32, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The hydraulic actuator 31 is arranged between the roll 3 and the mill housing upright 33 in such a way that the piston 34 is held in a cylinder chamber 35, 36 and forms two chambers 35, 36 that can be acted upon by pressure medium, such that each of the two chambers 35 and 36 is arranged at one end of the piston 34, so that pressurization of the chamber 35 acts on or moves the piston 34 to the right, and pressurization of the chamber 36 acts on or moves the piston 34 to the left.

The space 35, 36 is formed in a housing 37, which is connected with a housing 38, which holds the lever arrangement 32 and in turn is mounted on the housing upright 33. It is advantageous for the housing 37 to be formed as two parts comprising the subhousings 39, 40, where the part 39 is formed with a cuplike shape, and the part 40 is formed as a flange. The flange 40 has an opening through which the piston rod 41 extends to bring about displacement of the roll 3 via the lever arrangement 32. In addition, a seal is provided in the region of the opening of the flange 40.

The piston rod 41 is connected with an axially displaceable rod 43, which is formed with a joint 44, with which a lever arm 45 articulates. The lever arm also articulates with the element 21 by means of another joint 46. This part 21 in turn is connected with the roll bearing 20, so that a displacement of the element 21 is directly transferred to the roll 3.

When the piston 34 is displaced due to pressurization of the pressure chambers 35 and/or 36, the piston rod 41 is displaced and adjusted to a predeterminable position. This causes the rod 43, for example, a connecting rod, and thus the joint 44 to be axially displaced. Since the roll bearing 20 is designed to be essentially fixed in the direction of the roll axis, the displacement of the joint 44 causes a change in the angular position of the lever arm 45 relative to the axis of the roll or to a perpendicular to the axis of the roll, and thus the distance between the housing upright 33 and the roll is defined and adjusted. So that the roller bearings 20 are essentially fixed in the direction parallel to the roll axis, they are locked by guides 47 that allow movement only in the direction perpendicular to the roll axis.

The arrangement of the piston and the connecting rod parallel to the roll axis results in a very compact design of the adjusting device.

In addition, to detect the position of the piston to allow closed-loop or open-loop control of the position of the roll, a sensor 48 is provided, which detects the position of the piston by means of a sensing element. To this end, the head of the housing 39 is provided with an opening, through which the sensing element 49 of the sensor 48 can pass and enter an opening or drill hole in the piston.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   1 rolling installation -   2 stand -   2 a mill housing upright -   2 b mill housing upright -   2 c mill housing upright -   2 d mill housing upright -   3 roll -   4 roll bearing, roll bending block -   5 adjusting device -   6 direction of adjustment -   7 axial direction, axis -   10 adjusting device -   11 pressure-medium actuator -   12 mill housing upright -   13 roll -   14 piston -   15 cylinder chamber, pressure chamber -   16 cylinder chamber, pressure chamber -   17 housing -   18 subhousing -   19 subhousing -   20 roll bearing, roll bending block -   21 intermediate element -   22 sensor -   23 connected element -   24 pin -   25 cylinder, pressure chamber -   30 adjusting device -   31 hydraulic actuator -   32 lever arrangement -   33 mill housing upright -   34 piston -   35 cylinder chamber, pressure chamber -   36 cylinder chamber, pressure chamber -   37 housing -   38 housing -   39 subhousing -   40 subhousing, flange -   41 piston rod -   42 seal -   43 rod -   44 joint -   45 lever arm -   46 joint -   47 guide -   48 sensor -   49 sensing element 

1-5. (canceled)
 6. A rolling installation, comprising: a stand with housing uprights; at least one roll arranged in a space between the housing uprights; and at least one adjusting device provided for adjusting the roll, wherein the at least one adjusting device is arranged between the roll and the housing upright and includes a pressure-medium control element, wherein the pressure-medium control element comprises a hydraulic actuator with a piston/cylinder unit, and the piston/cylinder unit has a piston whose direction of motion is parallel to an axis of the roll.
 7. The rolling installation in accordance with claim 6, wherein the adjusting device has two pressure chambers for applying pressure to the piston, such that one chamber each is arranged on opposite ends of the piston.
 8. The rolling installation in accordance with claim 6, wherein a piston rod is connected with the piston and acts on the roll in a direction of adjustment by a lever arrangement, so that the piston is adjusted in a direction parallel to the roll axis, the lever being operative to bring about adjustment of the roll perpendicularly to the roll axis.
 9. The rolling installation in accordance with claim 8, and further comprising a sensor for detecting a position of the piston.
 10. The rolling installation in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sensor is integrated in a housing of the adjusting device.
 11. The rolling installation in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sensor is connected with a housing of the adjusting device. 